St. Mary's Episcopal Church
Also known as: Old St. Mary's Church
Why it's listed
Built in 1843 on the site of an 1806 congregation in Warwick Village, Chester County, this one-story church hall is constructed of fieldstone covered in lime stucco and set within a cemetery enclosed by a stone wall. Its plan is a rectangular Church Hall with a double entrance in the south gable end, tall clear-glass pointed-arch windows on all sides, and a square belfry added in 1909. The interior has a canted floor, a raised chancel, and carved altar and choir screens; the choir screens were a memorial gift and the reredos is regarded as unusual for the area. The church was rearranged after 1880 to reflect Oxford Movement liturgical practice, including a center aisle and the removal of box pews. Its exterior is regarded as retaining an exceptionally high degree of integrity to the 1843 date, and its burial ground includes stones dating to the 1770s.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the church is architecturally important as an intact example of early Gothic Revival ecclesiastical design, retaining exterior appearance from 1843 with only a belfry added in 1909. It cites the carved altar and choir screens as unusual interior features and the cemetery, wall and burials as part of its integrity.
Machine-generated summary. This summary was generated by a language model from the official nomination document and has not been reviewed line by line by an editor. It may contain errors. Check the source document before relying on any detail. Source: nomination document (PDF) · National Archives catalog entry. NRHP reference 96000082, listed February 16, 1996. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-haiku-5-5, prompt v1.1-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | Warwick Rd., Warwick Township, Elverson |
|---|---|
| County | Chester County |
| Listed | February 16, 1996 |
| Reference number | 96000082 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1843-1909 |
| Architectural style | MID-19TH CENTURY/Gothic Revival |
| Criteria |
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| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Acreage | 1.3 |
| Coordinates | 40.16597, -75.78087 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
Religious properties are listed for their architectural or historical significance, not their religious use. Listing is honorary and does not restrict the congregation's use of the building. The federal rehabilitation credit is generally unavailable unless part of the building is income-producing; some state programmes and preservation grants do cover religious buildings. Federal funding or permits trigger Section 106 review.
General information, not legal or tax advice. Rules change; confirm with your State Historic Preservation Office or a qualified adviser.
Sources and further reading
- National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places database (snapshot May 2026), reference 96000082.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q16932905
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.